Governor Bob Ferguson recently took out his mighty red pen and gave the Washington State budget a bit of a makeover. Think of it as editing a 1,366-page novel by ripping out some pages he didn't like. Let's dive into some of the vetoes that made headlines and raised eyebrows.
Here are Five Fast Facts about programs cut from the final budget:
- 📝 Teen Center Takes a Hit - The Garage, a teen hangout spot in Issaquah offering tutoring and counseling, lost $300,000—about one-fifth of its budget. Looks like teens will have to find a new place to loiter and pretend to do homework!
- 😣 Mentorship Program Axed - Mentor Washington, which supports at-risk youth, saw its remaining $550,000 funding cut after already losing $1 million. Guess mentorship is now DIY!
- 🍲 Hospitality Center Closed - The Hospitality Center of Excellence at Columbia Basin College, aimed at boosting culinary and hospitality education, lost $408,000 and will shut down in July despite being labeled a "worthwhile endeavor." Hope those aspiring chefs have a backup recipe for success.
- ⛸️ Ice Skating Program Melted - A program teaching preschoolers from diverse backgrounds to ice skate lost its $200,000 funding. Looks like the next Olympic figure skating champion won't be coming from this rink.
- 🍃 Just A Bunch Of Wind - The state Department of Ecology lost $816,000 for assessments of wind energy projects off the coast. Ferguson is "committed" to this effort, but said it is "less time sensitive." BUT WHO WILL SAVE THE PLANET NEXT YEAR??
🔥Bottom line: Governor Ferguson's budget vetoes have stirred the pot, upsetting some people by erasing opportunities for youth mentorship, cultural support, and workforce development. However, when you consider that all of his vetoes combined amount to a measly $22.3 million out of a $78 billion budget...well, it's basically a rounding error. One might ask if these programs should have existed in the first place...and what things remained in place?
What do you think of these vetoes?
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